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Gay wins 100 in U.S. Olympic trials
08:43 PM CDT on Sunday, June 29, 2008
Associated Press
EUGENE, Ore. – Tyson Gay was a blur in blue, sprinting 100 meters faster than anyone ever has.
His time of 9.68 seconds at the U.S. Olympic trials Sunday doesn't count as a world record, because it was run with the help of a too-strong tailwind. Here's what does matter: Gay qualified for the team and served notice he's certainly someone to watch at the Beijing Games.
Wearing a royal blue uniform with red and white diagonal stripes across the front, along with matching shoes, all in a tribute to 1936 Olympic star Jesse Owens, Gay dominated the competition. He started well and pulled out to a comfortable lead by the 40-meter mark.
This time, he kept pumping those legs all the way through the finish line, extending his lead. In Saturday's opening heat, Gay pulled way up, way too soon, and nearly was caught by the field, before accelerating again and lunging in for fourth place.
No such close call this time.
No one ever has covered 100 meters more quickly. The previous fastest time under any conditions was 9.69, run in 1996 by Obadele Thompson, who now is married to Marion Jones.
Gay's race came with the wind blowing at 4.1 meters per second; anything above 2.0 is not allowed for record purposes.
Walter Dix, the 2007 NCAA champion from Florida State, overtook Darvis Patton in the final 20 meters for second place. Dix clocked 9.80 and Patton 9.84, as each of the first six finalists turned in times under 10 seconds.
After the race, Gay and Dix looked at each other and slapped palms, then hugged.
The official world record is 9.72 seconds, set by Jamaica's Usain Bolt on May 31 in New York – with Gay a distant second. That race sent Gay and his coach, Jon Drummond, to work, tinkering with the runner's start and style.
Drummond noticed Gay was bringing his feet too high behind his back with each stride, and they worked to correct that. Clearly, it's paying off.
After misjudging the finish in his opening heat Saturday, Gay ran 9.77 in a quarterfinal a few hours later, breaking the American record that had stood since 1999.
He's hoping to win both the 100 and 200 at this meet – and at the Beijing Olympics. He pulled off that double at the 2007 world championships, and qualifying at these trials in the 200 begins Friday.
08:43 PM CDT on Sunday, June 29, 2008
Associated Press
EUGENE, Ore. – Tyson Gay was a blur in blue, sprinting 100 meters faster than anyone ever has.
His time of 9.68 seconds at the U.S. Olympic trials Sunday doesn't count as a world record, because it was run with the help of a too-strong tailwind. Here's what does matter: Gay qualified for the team and served notice he's certainly someone to watch at the Beijing Games.
Wearing a royal blue uniform with red and white diagonal stripes across the front, along with matching shoes, all in a tribute to 1936 Olympic star Jesse Owens, Gay dominated the competition. He started well and pulled out to a comfortable lead by the 40-meter mark.
This time, he kept pumping those legs all the way through the finish line, extending his lead. In Saturday's opening heat, Gay pulled way up, way too soon, and nearly was caught by the field, before accelerating again and lunging in for fourth place.
No such close call this time.
No one ever has covered 100 meters more quickly. The previous fastest time under any conditions was 9.69, run in 1996 by Obadele Thompson, who now is married to Marion Jones.
Gay's race came with the wind blowing at 4.1 meters per second; anything above 2.0 is not allowed for record purposes.
Walter Dix, the 2007 NCAA champion from Florida State, overtook Darvis Patton in the final 20 meters for second place. Dix clocked 9.80 and Patton 9.84, as each of the first six finalists turned in times under 10 seconds.
After the race, Gay and Dix looked at each other and slapped palms, then hugged.
The official world record is 9.72 seconds, set by Jamaica's Usain Bolt on May 31 in New York – with Gay a distant second. That race sent Gay and his coach, Jon Drummond, to work, tinkering with the runner's start and style.
Drummond noticed Gay was bringing his feet too high behind his back with each stride, and they worked to correct that. Clearly, it's paying off.
After misjudging the finish in his opening heat Saturday, Gay ran 9.77 in a quarterfinal a few hours later, breaking the American record that had stood since 1999.
He's hoping to win both the 100 and 200 at this meet – and at the Beijing Olympics. He pulled off that double at the 2007 world championships, and qualifying at these trials in the 200 begins Friday.
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